Almost
by LizCraft
Summary: But always coming back to each other. Always coming back no matter what the gods threw at them. Always coming back to each other because there was no way they could ever stay away. Always coming back because almost, was their always. / For Ro221B


**For Ro221B- **

**You deserve all the Percabeth fluff. Happy late birthday, love. There aren't enough words to explain how much you mean to me. **

**My sister in everything but blood. **

**I hope the Percabeth is enough to quench the thirst for the fluff and something to make your day a little bit brighter (retail sucks, but tea is wonderful).**

**Love you until the stars are nothing more than whisps of dust in a forgotten**** sky.**

* * *

With his hands locked behind his head, eyes closed and with the occasional breeze flitting across his face causing him to scrunch up his nose, Annabeth was starting to fall in love with him all over again. Stretched out beside her, Percy dozed lightly in the afternoon light, the picture of perfect serenity and peace.

She could almost imagine that they were an ordinary couple, on an ordinary date. Could almost imagine them watching the Fourth of July fireworks show without flinching. Could almost imagine them smiling with that regular and care-free innocence that they had lost in this game of Gods and Devils. That Tartarus had ripped from them with a vicious laugh.

Her smile faded.

_Almost._

Almost was a lot of things for them.

Almost dying. Almost okay. Almost ending the world. Almost losing each other. Almost failing. Almost getting better.

At least, that's what everyone kept telling them. From Will's cheerfulness where he takes the place of a psychologist; to Chiron, smiling with a smile that doesn't do anything to hide the worry in his eyes. After all, neither of them had any idea how to tackle their situation.

"You're staring again, wise girl." Turning toward her, green eyes bright as the water around them, Percy grinned.

_Oh Gods._

That grin.

That gods-damned grin.

The one that sent her heart into a pitter-pattering giddiness and warmth through her veins. The one that could light up even the darkest of rooms and the coldest nights. The one that spreads across his entire face, crinkling the corners of his eyes with joy.

The one that rarely made an appearance nowadays.

Annabeth's heart clenched. "I'm not staring. You're staring, seaweed brain." Shaking her head, she reached out a hand to brush back a jet-black lock of hair from his forehead.

Catching her wrist with the gentlest of touches, Percy turned his head to brush his lips against her open palm. He kissed his way up the inside of her wrist, soft over the dozens of scars littering her arm and made his way over the material of her t-shirt to her neck. Seeking out the sensitive spots, he smiled against her jaw. "A picture would last longer."

"Shut up." Turning her head toward him, Annabeth raised his for a kiss. Not demanding or taking, claiming or bruising. It's gentle and soft and deliberate and loving and _right._ The warm rays of sun on a cool summer's day. The rustle of wings as a bird takes flight. All present, all correct. None criticized or out of place.

And Percy complied, pressing his lips to hers. He was over her and she was over him, touches warm and giving. He pulled her closer, skin heating through the fabric of their t-shirts. Fingers traced scars. Air passed from one to the other in a synced symphony. "Make me."

It was a dare.

A dare.

Annabeth never turned down a dare, and the glint in Percy's eyes was enough to give away that the son of Poseidon knew _exactly_ what he was doing to her.

More butterflies took flight.

"Annabeth."

She straddled his waist, lowering herself to kiss him again. "Percy."

"Annabeth," he gasped her name out like a prayer, voice worshipping each and every syllable. Hands skated up her sides.

And all logic left in her burst to flame.

Pure_ want_ curled through the daughter of Athena. "Percy, we can't," Breaking away, she tried to catch her breath. Water lapped at her ankles, the tide responding to the son of Poseidon's waves of emotion. Love and heat battled in her core. "The camp. People. We're in the-"

A band lodged in her throat as Percy cocked his head to the side. Animalistic. Predatory. A thrill ran through Annabeth. His eyes darkened and flipped their positions, pinning Annabeth beneath him. "Middle of camp?"

Annabeth could barely nod as he nosed up her neck, biting down in just the right spot to send heat flaring through her. "Percy."

"Annabeth," he grinned, and his eyes traveled over her face. The water rose over them, cooling their overheated skin as they met each other again in a fiery kiss.

They were floating. Whirling together on clouds of bliss and love.

Percy surrounded them in an air bubble, keeping theme afloat underwater as they drifted, content with each other- each other being enough for them. "I love you," Percy tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, memorizing every line of her face. "You're my everything, wise girl. You're my everything. You always have been, every hour of every day."

Annabeth could feel the heat in her face even as they floated in the cool water, the love that bubbled up through her deep and intense, flowing from her core outwards. "I love you too seaweed brain."

And it was that was their reason for _almost. _

Almost dying, almost ending. Almost failing and falling and freewheeling.

But always coming back to each other. Always coming back no matter what the gods threw at them.

Always coming back to each other because there was no way they could ever stay away.

Always coming back because almost, was their _always._


End file.
